Don't Look or It Takes You
by BlackRoseDragonCK
Summary: Halloween three-shot. Axel had never been to Twilight Town at night before. Blanketed by shadows and shrouded by mist, the woods were scarcely recognizable. It was an unnerving experience, but he had to locate Xion. He had to get to her...before the being rumored to haunt the woods reached her first.
1. Woods

**I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS**

**Happy Day Before Halloween :D! This is going to be a scary Halloween three-shot...I have chapters one and two done and I should be done with chapter three soon. The evil entity in this story is a well-known internet villain...I'll let you know who it is at the end up chapter two if you haven't already figured it out ;). There is some Akushi in this which could either be light romance or friendship. Anyways, I hope you enjoy! **

**XXX**

"Saix, it's cold, it's raining, it's dark...darker than usual, I mean...and I'm admiring these lovely bleak walls at a time when the only thing I should be looking at is the back of my eyelids. If you don't tell me why you saw fit to haul me out of snooze-land at this ungodly hour _right now_...I swear to Kingdom Hearts I'm volunteering you to be the Lost Boys' new Den Mother next time I go to Neverland. Got it memorized?"

Though spoken with little fluctuation, Axel's words held an undeniable trace of genuine threat in them.

It was four o'clock...four freakin' o'clock _in the morning_. His black cloak was tussled from sleep and his wildfire hair was not much better. Dark circles ran beneath his sea serpent eyes, nearly blending with the purple tattoos beneath them. A grumpy frown marred his catlike features where an impish grin was usually prominent.

Leaning his hip against a small shelf, Axel rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. A dull pain was beginning to throb in his skull...a headache from lack of sleep. The harsh computer lighting of this chamber certainly was not helping.

Combined with a lack of celestial lighting due to stormy clouds, the perpetual drum of the rain allowed for perfect sleeping conditions. Axel was doing exactly that and relishing every moment of it...when Saix's scarred visage appeared over his bed.

Axel had ignored the man when he told him to get up. Consequently, two Dusks had materialized in his bedroom, their silvery bodies seeming to glow in the dark. Ignoring his protests, they had seized his arms, dragged him kicking and screaming out of bed, quite literally, and deposited him here in Saix's dismal office.

Yawning widely, Axel stretched his thin form. He blinked groggily. If Number VII didn't get a move on and explain himself, the redhead was going to fall asleep standing up right then and there. The room was small...insufficiently lit...stuffy...or, according to Axel's sleep-deprived mind, cozy, dark, and warm.

Saix swiveled in his office chair so that his profile faced the pyro. Axel leaned a bit more heavily on the shelf, making it creak in protest. This earned a scowl from his boss. "Don't sit on that."

"S'not my fault you've got me bored to tears here."

Saix studied him. The pallid light from his computer monitor made his skin look even paler, starkly contrasted against the deep blue hair that tumbled down his shoulders. His amber eyes glinted as a smirk formed on his lips.

"Oh?" the man remarked in his silky smooth tone. "I thought you would be interested to know that your friend had not yet reported in..."

"Roxas?" Axel frowned. "Well that's no surprise, what, with you sending him on Unidentified Giant Heartless missions all the time. He comes home, finishes his report, and crashes. He's probably back already but you won't see him 'til tomorrow."

Saix returned his attention to sifting through reports, an indifferent expression on his elfish features. "Fascinating. However, I was not referring to Roxas."

In his muzzy state, it took Axel a moment to get the gears of his brain turning again. He blinked for several moments, thinking. When he finally realized the implication of what the man had said, his eyes widened and he felt as if someone had just dropped an ice cube down the back of his coat.

"Xion...are you saying Xion's not back yet?"

Not removing his eyes from his paperwork, Saix remarked, "Finally gotten your attention, have I?"

"Normally, I would reply, 'Dear God, he made a joke'," the redhead shot back, suddenly edgily alert. "But I don't really care at the moment. What happened?"

"Number XIV was sent on a mission later than usual but should have been back by now."

Then he was silent. Leaving the eerie statement hanging, Number VII continued to peer at the reports. Axel's eyes narrowed. Something hot and fiery sprang up within him...a shred of frustration? Whatever it was, it irritated him. He stepped forward, grabbed the other man's shoulder, and turned him so that his chair swiveled to face the redhead. Axel's eyes burned like molten emeralds.

"I love a good cliffhanger as much as the next guy, but _in case you haven't noticed_, we're not in a mystery novel," he growled. "I need details, man! I know you don't much care for Xion, _but I do_."

Amber clashed with peridot for a long, tense moment. The darkness of the room lit only by disconcerting computer lighting fell upon both black-clad figures unnervingly. Their pale skin and shadowy clothing stood out in striking contrast.

The X-shaped scar on Saix's forehead crinkled as he studied his childhood friend's face. "Is this amity for that creature something about which I should be concerned?"

To be candid, the pyro was not sure. He did care for Xion...quite a bit if he was being honest. She had somehow finagled her way into the cold vacuum of his heart, along with Roxas. It was possible that his fondness for them could influence his actions one day...but he didn't dare say that to this man.

"That's beside the point," Axel straightened, folding his arms over his chest. "You obviously called me in here to do something. What happened?"

Saix watched him for a moment. He then turned back to one of the reports, speaking as he checked over its contents. "About a week ago, we heard reports of a strange rumor that had arisen in Twilight Town. Supposedly, people had begun disappearing and the one thing they all had in common was that they had gone deep into the woods. At first, we passed it off as another Seven Wonders wild goose chase."

"But...?" Axel arched his eyebrows.

Saix handed him a report, frowning disdainfully at it as if its very presence offended him. "But this."

Number VIII could infer from the man's expression to whom the report belonged. Acid eyes narrowing, he peered down at Demyx's scraggly writing. It read:

_Dude, I am NEVER going to the Twilight Town woods EVER AGAIN! So like, I was afraid my awesome figure would get flabby from ya know...NOT working, so I decided to actually do my mission for once. I had recon in Twilight Town...or maybe it was Shadow Blob removal...huh, I dunno. _

_ Anyways, there I was among the trees, rockin' on my sitar and giving my legs a workout 'cuz I'm just that epic...when I saw this piece of paper. Well, I thought, 'Sweet! I can take this with...ya know, just in case I get inspired to write my new hit single while I'm exercising. When I went to pick it up, my head started feeling weird and I saw this freaky white stuff. It was like the time that TV guy convinced Xaldin to switch cable companies and we only got like three channels while the others were all static-y 'cuz you have to buy the other channels. And then Xaldin went and confronted him and well...rest in peace, Mr. TV Salesman Guy...Anyways, back to my head feeling wacky._

_ I stood back up 'cuz I felt like I was gonna faint and I thought, 'Crap! I can't faint on the one day I decide to actually do something!' So, I got up...and I saw this dude dressed all in black standing pretty far away from me. He was really long and skinny. At first I thought it was Xiggy coming to check up on me. I started to shout at him but I saw he was bald so I shut my trap and hid behind a tree. We don't have any bald guys in the Organization...I think...thus, I thought it had to be one of the Twilight Town residents and I was being a responsible Organization member and not breaking the non-interference rule 'cuz I'm just that awesome._

_ But the dude just stood there and stared at me. Actually, I'm not sure he was even staring at me...I couldn't really see his face. He was just standing there, not moving. Normally, I'm all about exerting as little effort as possible, but this guy had a major creepster vibe about him. So, I turned and skedaddled outta there as fast as I could!_

_ Seriously, Saix, I am not going back in there again. There's something really wrong with that place. It's the same feeling I always got whenever Marluxia and Larxene were chatting and I'd come up and say 'Whazuuuuuuuuup!' just trying to be a friendly Nobody. They'd glare or insult me to let me know I wasn't welcome. I got the same feeling from this guy...only he didn't have to say anything._

_Whatevs, I'm beat! Monologue-ing takes a ton outta ya..."_

_-Demyx _

Axel stared at the report for a long moment, his frown growing deeper and deeper with each word. Finally, he flicked his eyes back to his comrade. Confusion was plain on his catlike features.

"So?" He retorted. "When do you start listening to Demyx's account of things? C'mon, man, even _I_ don't take him seriously!"

"And why is that?"

"Because he's lazy, self-absorbed, and incompetent."

"Exactly, and he _never_ bothers to write this much in his reports," was Saix's somber reply. "Normally, he turns in fragments...a few poorly-constructed sentences if I'm lucky. But this...whatever he saw was distinct enough to warrant his writing a rare full report."

"Hmm..." the redhead furrowed his brows at the paper. His fingers squeezed its thin form unconsciously. A slight chill skittered down his suddenly tense spine. He had to admit...it sounded strange. Demyx was nothing if not oblivious. Yet this had disturbed him...

"But that is not the only evidence," Number VII continued. "We have also heard rumors of people glimpsing a form like a stick figure in the forest. The townsfolk are too frightened to investigate it themselves. We believe that the being is an unidentified Heartless that only appears in the evening. Therefore, we sent Xion in later than usual in order to hopefully catch it at the appropriate time."

Axel swallowed against his dry throat. "And she hasn't returned..." he concluded in a low, ragged tone.

"Indeed."

"And you thought it was a good idea to send Xion after this _thing_ by herself?" Axel lowered the paper, unable to conceal the outrage in his visage.

Taking back the report to add to his folder, Saix regarded him with a cool expression. "Were you not the one who assured me that Xion was perfectly capable and that I should refrain from calling it a _mistake_?"

The Flurry of Dancing Flames balked at this. He was right. Axel had exhausted all of his persuasive resources trying to convince the azure-haired man that Xion belonged in the Organization. In retrospect, he supposed he should have been relieved that Saix saw fit to send Xion on a mission of such great importance.

Axel opened and closed his mouth a few times, grappling for the right words. When he could think of none, he sighed heavily and rubbed his forehead. "Fine, I guess you've got me there...So whaddaya want me to do?"

"Go to Twilight Town and search for Xion. It should be nighttime there as it is now, so if Xion is obeying her orders, she is probably in the woods."

"Nighttime, huh..." Axel grinned puckishly and folded his arms behind his head. "I didn't even know Twilight Town _had _a nighttime."

Swiveling in his office chair, Saix fixed him with a grave look. His skin looked so pale as to be cadaverous, its pristine, moon-like pallor grotesquely blemished by the nasty scar upon his brow. His eyes, the hue of cursed pirate's gold, flashed unnaturally in the lightless room.

"I expect you to take this mission seriously, Axel," he stated.

Axel's smile, as fake as the nonchalant attitude he'd adopted, shrank back a few molars. He found that he actually felt irritated at this remark. Isa should have known him long enough by now to recognize when he was portraying flippantness to make people feel better...to make _himself _feel better. Of course, when other people for whom he cared wore sober expressons, he would be as serious as the situation required. But when it was just himself...when he was the one facing austere circumstances with bleak future outlooks...a stupid joke or two was often the only thing that kept him rational.

"Don't think I'm not..." Axel mumbled, more to himself than to his childhood friend.

Turning sharply, the assassin pulled his ebony hood over his face, something he rarely did. It just somehow felt right in this situation. He opened a dark corridor in front of him. The black tendrils swirled and reached toward him with thin strands like skeleton's fingers.

Axel started into its cool, murky depths, but Saix's voice froze him in his tracks. He stood half-inside the portal, turning his shrouded head so that his profile faced the amber-eyed Nobody.

Saix was lost in pensive silence for a long moment. Then, almost inaudibly, he murmured, "Be careful. I know neither the nature of this threat nor the magnitude of its capabilities. I do not wish to add to our Organization's already short-handed status."

After pondering those words for a minute, Axel realized that it was Saix's way of letting him know that he was a actually concerned for his safety. A small smile played on Axel's lips, thought it was veiled by the hood. Perhaps there was a shred of Isa in there after all...

"'Cautious' is my middle name," the redhead replied with a smooth confidence he did not truly feel. "Got it memorized?"

With that, he was gone through the portal, leaving a cloud of obsidian smoke in his wake.

XXX

The Dark Corridor dropped him off right outside the crack in the wall that led to the forest. Gingerly placing a hand on the opening's jagged edge, Axel peered through.

It was odd seeing Twilight Town blanketed by the cryptic cover of nightfall. There weren't even any stars to add glittering pinpoints of light to the normally bright sky. Or perhaps they were merely hidden by the towering greenery. Either way, it was dark in the woods. The grass was a blanket of deep viridian on the forest floor. Trees stood all around like massive, terrestrial pillars. A thick layer of mist covering everything.

Axel felt a slight shudder skitter down his spine. It was creepy seeing his favorite town like this. He needed to find Xion-fast.

Turning from the beaten path he normally took the mansion, Axel headed right...into unknown territory. As he walked, the woods grew darker and deeper. Fog continued to roll along the ground in graceful waves, like a vaporous ocean. Every so often, an owl cried out...but other than that, the place was stirringly silent.

Axel quickened his pace, watching his cape whip wraith-like over the mist. Something was very wrong with this place. He wasn't sure if this neck of the woods was simply creepier than the other areas...or if it was something else entirely.

Then, something caught his attention...a glint of metal in the fathomless blackness. The pyro's green eyes squinted and he hurried toward it. He was surprised to find a compact blue car parked in a small clearing. Chips and rust marred its cerulean paint and one of the doors had been pried open. Clearly, the thing had been abandoned...for quite some time it seemed.

_"I didn't even know they had cars on this world..."_ he thought amusedly. _"They're a pretty rare commodity where I'm from and Hollow Bastion is the capital of the Realm of Light."_

But what Axel noticed more than the car was a piece of paper taped to its closed door. Frowning, he snatched it off and read its contents.

**"HELP ME..."**

The words were scrawled in massive, frantic, black letters. Axel stared at the note for a long time, wondering if his freaked-out mind was playing tricks on him.

"Well..._that's_ not creepy at all..." he mumbled grimly.

Then, something changed. It was a sudden, atmospheric thing, something he could not explain...but it was there nonetheless. Axel swallowed hard. A bead of sweat slid down his temple. He felt as if someone was watching him all of a sudden. He was reluctant to turn or even look around.

Unsettling or not, continuing to stand there gawking would have been foolish. Stuffing the paper into his pocket, Axel turned to leave. He froze when he heard something nearby...movement.

In a vortex of flame, his chakrams leapt to his hands. He didn't bother to hurriedly extinguish the residual flames. Let whatever was out there know it was about to get burned. Besides, the fire allowed for additional lighting. Slowly, cautiously, he crept forward. He stepped as lightly as possible and listened intently. He barely dared to breathe...but he wasn't certain if that was due to his desire to detect noise or anxiety.

Darkness blossomed all around him, save for the flame-illuminated path directly ahead. After a few breathless seconds of wary tiptoeing, Number VIII sighted a small mass of black on the ground. It was twitching. He tensed. His fingers tightened on his chakrams.

Not daring to look away, Axel kept his peridot eyes locked on the thing. If it were not for his still sparking chakrams, he would have thought that the fire within him had frozen. It was ridiculous, he knew. Nobodies could not feel fear. This _wasn't_ fear.

But he had to admit that he was pretty darn unnerved.

**Spooooooooky :). I hope you enjoyed and please review! Please no flames.**

**I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS**


	2. Notes

**I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS OR SLENDERMAN**

**Happy Halloween :D! Chapter two is here...and so is the tale's villain. To Brendanmudk: Thanks so much for reviewing :D! I can't bring myself to kill off any characters; however there will be some VERY close calls and emotional trauma. Thanks to anyone else who read this story!**

**XXX**

Axel watched and waited. The unknown object did not move...and he thought he heard soft breathing. Frowning, he gingerly stepped forward and to the side. He banished one of his chakrams and let a burst of flame form on his free hand. There...now he could better see the thing. He could see that it was a humanoid form that seemed to be curled up in a ball.

Frown deepening, Axel took another careful step forward. Apparently hearing the grass crunch beneath his foot, the form whimpered. It curled in tighter upon itself. Then, Axel saw it-short hair like raven's wings and a few patches of pale skin peeking through the thin arms that strove to conceal it.

"Xion..." the redhead breathed out, eyes widening.

Never before had he seen her in such a groveling state. She didn't even have her Keyblade out. She was just lying there in the grass, arms wrapped tightly around her head, whimpering as she hid from some unknown threat.

At least...Axel thought that was what she was doing. He could simply be walking into a trap like in every horror film he'd ever seen. But...he couldn't take the chance that this really was Xion.

Driving a point on his chakram into the earth, Axel transferred the fire on his hand to its metal surface. The flame danced and frolicked around each graceful curve of the weapon, providing a flickering yet adequate torch. Then, he turned to his friend...the one he desperately hoped was his friend. At the last moment, he pulled down his hood so that she would see his face.

Axel got down on his knees next to her. Gingerly, he touched her back. "Hey..."

Upon feeling his feather-light touch, Xion let out a deafening, horrifying scream that nearly landed Axel on his back. She struck out at him with both arms. He grabbed her wrists, firmly restraining her.

"H-hey, Xion!"

"LET GO!" the girl shrieked hysterically, yanking her arms. "GET AWAY FROM ME!"

The pyro couldn't even put words together. He could only stare at her in a mixture of shock and bafflement. Vaguely, he noticed that her eyes were tightly shut. She had her head turned as far away from him as possible. But he paid little heed to those details since he needed to focus on her NOT clobbering him.

Axel pulled her close so that their faces were only inches apart. Raising his voice over her cries, he shouted, "Xion! It's me! It's your friend, Axel!"

The information took a moment to sink in, but when it did, the raven-haired girl grew abruptly still. Her struggles ceased. Suddenly, feeling the thinness of her arms clutched in his large hands, the redhead was reminded of how tiny and fragile she always seemed...

"A...Axel..." She whispered the name as if it were momentarily unfamiliar to her. Slowly, distrustfully, her eyes opened into sapphire slits. She turned her head partway toward him.

Axel arched his brows in the usual wry look he gave his two young friends. "The one and only. Got it memorized?"

Upon hearing his voice, her eyes sprung wide open and she whipped around to face him fully. They were so close by then that the tip of her nose brushed his and he jerked his head back, face heating up. He wasn't used to being this close to someone...

"Axel..." Xion said again, eyes still massive and round.

Deciding she was not going to attack him again, Axel released her wrists. "Yup, that's my name. Don't wear it out, huh?"

She stared at him, unmoving, unblinking. Her face was sheet-white. Okay, so he had found her. Now things were weird and he wasn't exactly sure why.

"Yeah...so, uh..." he began confusedly, but never got the chance to finish.

With no warning, Xion quite literally flung herself at him, arms winding tightly around his neck. She buried her face in his shoulder, as if intending to hide herself within his very being. Axel had to brace a hand on the ground to keep from falling over. He blinked in utter bewilderment, feeling all of the breath leave his lungs.

"Wagh!...wha...?"

Xion answered him in a mixture of a sob and a shriek. "AXEL WE'VE GOT TO RUN NOW HE'S COMING AND HE'LL ERASE US BOTH I'M SO SCARED HE COULD BE HERE ANY MINUTE LET'S GO DON'T LOOK!"

Normally, Number VIII would have laughed at an answer like this. Xion had come running to him in "imitation fear" before because of a cockroach in her room or some stupid Halloween prank Xigbar had sprung on her...but never had she been like this. She held on to him as if he were a lifeline, her petite form trembling almost violently. The terror in her voice was so potent that it had to be real. Or, at least she had convinced herself that it was real. Whatever the case...something was truly, horribly wrong.

"Whoa, whoa, slow down, Xi," Axel disentangled himself from her awkwardly, face still blushing furiously in spite of his sudden grave realization. "I can only register so many words per second. Take a breath..."

Although her eyes were still petrified and her hands clasped the front of his coat, the girl did as she was told. She inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. She then shot an anxious look over her shoulder.

"N-not here...w-w-we have to keep moving. He could be a-anywhere."

Axel still didn't know who the "he" was but he decided not to argue further-for he too felt that remaining static like this would be idiotic. Climbing to his feet, he dismissed his chakram and called the flame back to his hand. He offered his free hand to Xion. Eagerly, she took it and the two set off quickly deeper into the woods.

As they walked, the girl hugged her arms tightly over her torso. Her eyes were fixed straight ahead. Her face retained its sickly pallor. Axel watched her for a few seconds, concern swimming within his core. He'd never seen her, or any Nobody for that matter, look like this before.

"Xi..." he murmured, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Xion jerked and nearly tripped over her own feet. Meager as his touch had been, Axel could feel that she was still shaking. He fixed her with a stern look.

"Okay, spill. Saix sent me here 'cuz you never returned after your mission. I know all the spooky details but what he described to me didn't warrant near the freaked-out-ed-ness I'm seeing from you now. What's going on?"

Xion swallowed visibly. "I...I waited for it to get dark just like Saix said..." she explained in a voice that was slightly calmer. "I went into the woods in search of my target...and I found myself in an area I'd never been to before. While I was walking, I found this pipe thing that was big enough for a person to walk through. I went inside...and I found a note taped to it."

A note...Axel frowned at the familiarity. He dug in his pocket and pulled out the parchment he had found. "Like this?"

Xion nodded. Her brows furrowed. "I-it had a stick figure on it and a bunch of trees...kinda looked like a child's drawing to me. Anyway, I held onto it. But...after I picked it up, I started feeling really unsettled. I...I-I don't know why...i-it was...I-I was..."

It was like something was following her. Axel knew the feeling and he could tell Number XIV was starting to get frantic again. He held out a hand to calm her. "All right, all right...Did you find anything else?"

"Unfortunately yes..." Xion said barely audibly.

He quirked his brows at her. In response, she reached into her pocket and produced a handful of folded papers. With quivering fingers, Xion unfurled and separated each one. There were four altogether.

**"LEAVE ME ALONE"**

** "ALWAYS WATCHES, NO EYES"**

** "DON'T LOOK OR IT TAKES YOU"**

Then there was the stick figure in the forest drawing of which she had spoken. Axel compared his to the rest. All of them were written in crude handwriting.

"Again..." the pyro grumbled to himself, eyes narrowing. "...not creepy at all." He looked at his friend, inquiring, "You think these have something to do with your target?"

The girl dipped her head so that her ebony bangs fell over her eyes. The flames from his handmade torch cast flickering, orange lighting upon her porcelain visage. "I know they do..."

Something chilly crept into the empty vacuum where Axel's heart should have been. The look on her face was...haunted. There was no other way to describe it. He studied her, waiting for her to continue. Xion took a deep, shaky breath.

"After I found the notes, he...it...started chasing me. I never saw it moving, but I knew it was after me. It...it looks like the stick figure thing in the drawing and it just...it just appears out of _nowhere_..." She bit her lip so hard that it went white. "I couldn't look at it for too long or get too close to it. Every time I did...my head started feeling really weird and I thought I was gonna pass out. It caught up with me while I was running awhile ago. I fell and I thought it was gonna erase me...but it just suddenly disappeared. I stayed where I was until you found me."

Absorbing all of this information, Axel gradually began to make sense of things. That was why he had found her in such a state and why she had had her eyes closed. Also...he had been wandering in the woods and had found his own note. That must have been why the creature had left her. It had sensed that one of its papers had been taken by another intruder. The coldness within his empty chest intensified.

"So..." the redhead muttered in a low tone, his voice suddenly raspy. "...it's after both of us now."

Xion nodded and hugged herself once more. "I think it is..." her face crinkled as sudden guilt overcame her features. "I'm so sorry, Axel...it's my fault you're caught up in all this..."

She looked like she was about to cry. Axel shot her an alarmed look. He hadn't even thought about it that way. He had only been thinking about coming to her aid...not about the danger it presented to his own person. Scratching his head awkwardly, he pondered how exactly to handle this. He had never been good at offering comfort to distressed females...

Axel passed a hand around her small shoulders and drew her closer to his side. Xion looked up at him with large, sorrowful, watery puppy eyes. Something within him squirmed in phantom guilt at her self-loathing. He felt like he should tell her that he had come eagerly to assist...but it was embarrassing to admit aloud.

"Don't worry 'bout me-I can take care of myself," Axel offered her a teasing smirk and puffed out his chest. "I'm tough. Got it memorized?"

The young Keyblade Wielder did not look convinced. She pressed close to him, crossing her wrists prayer-like over her chest as Axel had often seen Namine do. In that moment, he could swear that all of the heat from the orb of fire in his hand was transferred to his face. He cleared his throat awkwardly, not used to contact like this. But it somehow felt natural...human. Perhaps he was getting better at this comforting thing as he gained more experience...

Before the redhead had time to fiddle with his hair in his usual embarrassed gesture, his friend halted abruptly. The movement was so quick that he nearly tripped over her. Shooting her a quizzical look, he saw that she was staring straight ahead.

_"Oh no..."_ he groaned mentally. _"Not that look again..."_ Reluctantly, he turned to see what she was staring at.

They had ventured into another clearing full of mist. The darkness around them was only partially pushed away by the torchlight, but Axel could see well enough to make out a towering, scraggly, leafless tree several yards ahead of them. It looked barren and skeleton-like amidst its healthier brethren. Disturbing...

"I'm really starting to hate clearings..." Axel grumbled with a deadpan expression. "And trees..." They advanced toward the plant, eventually spying a piece of paper taped to its bark. "...and notes, _good God_ I hate notes."

Hesitantly, Xion read aloud, **"NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO..."**

"My sentiments exactly," the redhead commented. He snatched the note off the tree, saying. "Now let's get..."

And he froze at what had appeared yards ahead of them. "...out of...here..."

"Oh no..." Xion whispered, clasping his arm in a vice-like grip.

Saying that it was a man would have been accurate...yet completely, utterly false. It stood amid the opaque fog, which flowed around its unnaturally thin form like frothing waves parting around a jagged rock protruding from the ocean. Its humanoid form was clothed in a solid black suit with lengthy sleeves to compensate for its unnaturally long arms. Sickly white skin covered its body...and any other features that might have detracted from the horror of its appearance-for the creature had no face. It was extremely slender and somewhat a man...a slender man.

If Axel had had a heart, he was certain it would have stopped. There was something arresting about the entity...something so cold and paralyzing that even the fire within his veins was cooled to ash. It didn't move. It just stood there, looking at them...or perhaps past them. He couldn't tell since the being did not have a face.

In a croaking tone, the redhead asked, "Is that your target?"

"Yes..." Xion squeaked.

She was holding his arm so tightly that he was sure he would have bruises the next day. But he didn't even feel it. His entire form had gone numb. As he stared in repulsed awe at the unknown entity, Axel began to feel a strange, fuzzy sensation in his skull. Darkness ate at the corners of his vision, as if he were getting ready to pass out. Cursing, he kneaded his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. What was wrong with him?

Urgently, Xion tugged at his arm. "Don't look at him! That's what got me last time!"

Axel turned his head. His acid eyes locked with her indigo ones. Even after everything he'd seen, everything he'd been through, everything he'd had to deal with...he had no idea what to do. Normally, he could draw upon the lessons he'd learned from situations in the past to help him handle the often queer nuances of other worlds. But this? This was unlike anything he'd ever fathomed.

"What do we do?" Axel asked, his voice little more than a croak.

The look on Xion's face was nothing less than haunting. It was as if a shadow had manifested itself in her very features. Her lips parted and the word that slipped between them was enough to make goose bumps break out along Axel's entire form.

"Run."

**Duhn duhn duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhn! I hope you enjoyed and please review :)! I'll try to have chapter three up soon.**

**I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS OR SLENDERMAN**


	3. Run

**I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS OR SLENDERMAN!**

**Time for the finale :D! Thank you soooo much to all of my awesome reviewers! And to anyone who asked me, don't worry, there are NO character deaths in this story :). Please enjoy!**

**XXX**

Burning lungs, aching legs, shaking limbs, sweating temples...Axel knew the sensation well, and he had hoped to never experience it ever again. It was sorely reminiscent of the days when he'd had to flee from the marauding Heartless in Radiant Garden. The only thing missing was the throbbing pulse.

Heart or no heart, the urgency remained. Axel's booted feet pounded the earth so heavily that he was certain he was leaving dents in the swarthy earth. Once or twice, his clothing snagged on a bush and he had to wrench it free. He would undoubtedly need a new coat once he got back home..._if_ he got back home. His pupils were dilated as he strained to see through the darkness, mist, and copious trees ahead.

Xion had gotten a head start on their mad flight and was running a few feet ahead of him. Her black hair was a flying mess behind her. Unconsciously, Axel found himself hoping that she wouldn't turn back to him. He didn't want to glimpse the all-too-real terror on her pretty features. At the same time, he didn't dare look back.

_"Don't look too far forward...don't glance too far back...just keep running..."_ Some dark and primal desperation mentally screamed at him. Number VIII heeded its advice.

The mist beyond them formed into deceitful, grotesque shapes. Occasionally, it would seem to take on a vaguely humanoid form and Axel's step would waver. Consequently, his head would be racked by the dizziness that seemed to accompany their foe when one ventured too close to it. It was an infuriating equilibrium. If they slowed too much, they would most certainly be caught. If they progressed too far ahead, they ran the risk of plowing face-first into the suit-clad figure.

After several breathless minutes of sprinting, the redhead's eyes fell upon an area where the foliage grew extremely dense several yards ahead of them. It formed a leafy, wall-like affair. Beyond it...he could make out an open area of grass.

Struggling to find his voice, Axel shouted, "Just keep running, Xi! There's a clearing straight ahead!"

She did not turn toward him, but he saw her head bob in a nod.

Another pang, like a frost-covered ice pick, bombarded Axel's skull. His ears rang and he shook his head, gritting his teeth against the encroaching half-blindness. The cursed thing was getting closer and he had no idea where it was. It could be prepared to attack from either side. Or, it could be directly behind, just waiting for one of them to double back. It could even be ahead of them for all he knew.

But it did not matter. That clearing was their best bet. Even if the slender man was waiting for them, they would at least have an open area in which to run.

Xion reached the terrestrial barricade first. Blessed with a tiny form, she was able to squeeze and crawl around the gnarled branches and twisted roots that blocked her way. By the time Axel reached the area, his head was positively spinning. He grabbed handfuls of debris, wincing as sharp thorns pricked his hands through his gloves. Shoving them aside, he tried to squeeze through the nature-clogged passageway. It was at least a yard thick and would not grant him easy access.

Brambles and sharp branches snagged his clothing and hair. He kept his eyes tightly closed. His face was assaulted by pointy things that he desperately hoped were plant life and not the claws of some wicked beast summoned to help its faceless master. Axel winced as a few sticks cut through his sleeves to the skin beneath. A few thorns nicked his face, threatening to draw the nothingness that ran through each Nobodies' veins in place of blood. He was trapped. He didn't date burn his way through lest he start a forest fire. Entangled in a chaotic snarl of relentless foliage, he could not reach the torturous freedom that lay only an arm's length away.

Axel's head pounded and his eyes grew so foggy that he could hardly see out of them. The thing was getting closer. He could practically sense its eerily-still form creeping up on him. In that moment...he could swear that whatever ghost of his heart that might have remained solidified into ice. A bead of sweat slid down his temple despite the sudden coldness suffocating his form.

Was this it? Was he really going to be erased right here, right now? Shackled by razor-sharp branches at the hands of some unknown entity? The thought actually brought a smirk to Axel's lips.

_"Heh..."_ he thought with almost cruel amusement. _"At least it'll be an interesting way to go out..."_

His serpent eyes fluttered open. He saw a flash of light and was surprised. With all of the things he'd done, the pyro had half expected hellish tongues of flames to reach out for him in death. At the moment, he could not see anything-for his eyes had been dazzled by the bright flash. He had to wait for them to readjust.

But rather than finding himself facing a beautifully angelic visage or the grizzled face of some Grim Reaper...he felt his arms drop abruptly to his sides. Wriggling cautiously, he found that he was no longer being stabbed from all angles. He blinked rapidly. His eyes grew accustomed to the darkness...and he saw Xion standing before him, Keyblade in hand.

Frowning in confusion, Axel looked down. His thorny bonds lay at his feet. His friend had severed them. Axel stared at them; then at her in utter bafflement. He had all but expected death.. Until...

"Xi..." he breathed in uncharacteristic sheepishness, green eyes wide. "...I uh...think I owe ya one..."

"Later!" the girl cried, snatching his hand. "Let's go!"

Pushing past the remainder of the brambles, Axel stepped into the grassy freedom of the clearing. His coat was hopelessly shredded, revealing patches of skin on his arms and torso. The exposed skin as well as that on his face stung from copious pricks. He knew his unruly hair had to be ten times as messy as usual. He really did not care.

Xion pulled on his hand, ready to take off again. Before he followed, Axel risked a quick peek behind them. Keeping his eyes fixed on the earth, he looked farther and farther. Shadows and mist swirled around each other, as if performing some haunting dance. Occasionally, a cryptic breeze would blow and fluttering leaves would join the dark ballet. He searched...and his eyes glimpsed the shining, ebony surface of fine shoes only four or so yards at their back. His vision blurred and his ears hissed.

Cursing, Axel quickened his gait to a run, practically dragging Xion behind him. "How does it move without us seeing or hearing it?" he growled.

Number XIV did not answer. Panting breathlessly, she raised her arm and pointed. "Look."

He did. Many yards ahead of them lay a medium-sized building made of red brick. It looked like some sort of wash house, but it seemed only partway completed. It appeared to have several openings, one of which faced them.

"You wanna hide in there?" the redhead asked.

"He might not be able to go in there since he seems to rule the forest," she offered.

"Better than hanging around out here; let's go!"

Axel quickened his pace until they neared the opening. Upon reaching it, he saw that the building was a network of white-tiled halls. No lighting was visible in the building. Apparently, the project had been abandoned before the builders had the chance to install electricity. It was dark...quiet...so quiet that their footsteps seemed to pierce the air.

Flanked by stark white walls and silence, Axel shuddered. He'd never imagined that an unfinished shower house could be this disturbing.

Running a hand through his hair, he grimaced at the various twigs tangled in it. He knew his face was covered in cuts and his coat was shredded all over. Thankfully, he was not bleeding...he _could not_ bleed. Nobodies could acquire minor cuts and bruises as a sort of ruse of their illusionary humanity. But wounds deep enough to bleed secreted the nothingness of Nobodies rather than human life fluid.

Wondering is she was in as bad a shape as he was, Axel looked down at Xion. Devoid of her Keyblade, the girl was walking close to his side. Her fingers were knitted tightly together. Her eyes were wide and alert, seeking signs of trouble. Her dark hair was wild and her flowing sleeves were so shredded that they could hardly be called sleeves anymore.

Sheepishness suddenly cowed the assassin's normally steadfast confidence. It hadn't fully dawned on him until now...but Xion had saved his life. She had come back for him when she could have easily let the creature be distracted by tearing him to pieces while she escaped unscathed. He couldn't recall the last time someone had cared enough to risk their being for him.

Face flushing in a mixture of embarrassment and flattery, Axel lightly touched her shoulder. "Hey...thanks for...you know...what you did back there."

The girl looked up at him in surprise. He gave an awkward smile. "You didn't have to save my skin, so...I appreciate it. Got it memorized?"

Xion cocked her head in a cute display of genuine puzzlement. "That's what friends do, I think," she said with a tiny smile. "I wasn't about to let that thing get you..." she then dropped her head, her expression growing abruptly grim. "Axel...what _is_ he?"

"A shiver looking for a spine to run up..." Number VIII replied in his usual sardonic manner.

But his eyes narrowed. He had no real answer to the question. He wasn't sure what Saix had gotten them into this time. At least it seemed to be gone now...

After several weighted seconds of walking, Axel saw that their path branched off, with one passageway leading left; the other, leading right. Pushed against the wall that ended their current path, a lone, wooden chair stood like an eerie landmark.

"Huh..." Axel muttered as they halted at the fork. He smirked, saying, "The Road to Light and the Road to Darkness...too bad there's no Twilight Road to Nightfall..."

"Hm?" Xion was not looking at him, but her brow creased in perplexity.

Chuckling, he crossed his arms over his chest. "Just something some creepy guy said once...nothing important."

But Number XIV did not seem to be paying attention to him. With wide eyes, she pointed at the chair. "Axel...look."

He did...and if he'd had a heart, it would have sunk. There, sitting smugly on the seat of the chair...was yet another scrap of paper. Common sense dictated that a paper cut was the extent of the damage it could do...yet it seemed to Axel that the cursed thing held the power to obliterate them both.

Groaning in indescribable vexation, the redhead turned and lightly banged his head against the wall. "Oh _God._..son of a...mother of...ugh, there are so many things I wanna say right now; why must you be so young and innocent?"

Quirking an eyebrow at her elder friend's rant, Xion cautiously picked up the note. She read, "**FOLLOWS**."

As soon as the words left her lips, Axel was bombarded by the sensation that they were being watched. His acid-hued eyes widened. He felt all color drain from his face and his throat grew suddenly constricted.

"Looks like he found a spine..." he hissed.

Xion had time only to shoot him a momentary look of alarm before the sinisterly familiar dizziness overtook them both. Vision clouding like a static-covered screen, Axel groped for the wall. He grunted and squinted to focus. He could just make out the silhouette of a black, skinny figure standing mere feet from him.

It seemed that the slender man had no qualms about entering buildings after all.

Pain shot through the young man's skull like hot needles. Reaching blindly, he grasped for Xion. His fingers clasped her sleeve and he took off down the right corridor, not giving her a chance to regain her balance. He knew he was probably quite literally dragging her, but he didn't dare stop. His vision was an awful blur of white tile and darkness. He ran until his legs threatened to give way beneath him.

Panting raggedly, Number VIII slowed his pace to a gradual halt. He pressed his palm against the wall and hunched over, struggling to regain his bearings. The pain threatening to implode his skull sluggishly subsided into a dull pulsing. He kneaded his forehead with his thumb and forefinger.

"I am _really_ getting sick of this guy..." he growled, correcting his posture. "At least we got..." he froze. Something did not feel right. Dreading what he would see, Axel turned to look to his side. "...away..."

The word traveled listlessly down the hallway...the hallway that was empty save for him. Axel swallowed hard. He lifted his other hand...and saw the scrap of Xion's cloak that lay within it. He had thought that she felt far too light...that she had been keeping up with him too easily. When he had grabbed her sleeve, he had ripped the fabric clean from her arm rather than taking her with him as he had intended. Now...

"She's gone..." he hissed between clenched teeth.

The pallid corridor stretched on into darkness, as if mocking him with the fact that his friend was nowhere to be seen. Everything had gone quiet...far too quiet.

In a phantom burst of anger, Axel slammed his fist against the wall. "Crap!" he cursed and took off back the way he had come.

They had looked upon the demon...they had seen his faceless visage. But in spite of what the note had said...Axel was not about to let it take them.

XXX

After several moments of impatient backtracking, Axel located the fork in the road where their nemesis had appeared. It was no longer standing there and neither was Xion.

Deciding she had gone in the opposite direction that he had, Axel followed the left fork. It took him down a straight hall as pale and creepy as the others. This one, however, harbored an exit. Several yards down the corridor, he could make out the opening leading into the bleak forest.

"Not exactly a light at the end of the tunnel, but I'll take it," the pyro mumbled and quickened his pace until his boots crunched the damp grass outside.

The exit had brought him out into a wide field that stretched on for about a mile; although, he couldn't be completely sure about its size due to the fog that still rolled on like ghostly waves. The black outlines of trees stood off in the distance, like some cryptic, scraggly border against the grim horizon.

But what caught Axel's attention was not the reminiscently grotesque ambiance...but the manmade labyrinth that lay some yards away from him. It was composed of about a dozen massive metal tanks, perhaps used to store fuel of some sort. Covered in chipped yellow paint, they stood in neat lines. Each one looked exactly like the others, adding to the already maze-like layout.

Axel's stomach sunk like a boulder thrown into a swimming pool. He really, _really _did _not _want to go over there...to that place where one could easily be lost among the tanks and frolicking shadows. But...

"Duty calls..." he sighed and jogged toward what he was quite sure would be his doom.

The tanks were a lot bigger than they looked from far away-perhaps the size of the tram that rolled leisurely through Twilight Town's Tram Common. These objects, however, were not so bright and cheery. They were old, faded...as abandoned as the washhouse he had just escaped. They seemed to stretch on for quite some distance before their progress was halted by the endless forest.

Reluctantly, Axel forced his feet to move forward. As he walked, the breeze lightly touched his face and played games with his tattered cloak. His various cuts were somewhat soothed by the coolness, but his wounded mind was more alert than ever. He was certain he could hear a feather drop, so silent and empty was the place. Yet...he could not escape the looming sensation that there was something, somewhere, watching him.

Proceeding down the rows of tanks, Axel carefully peered through each one. His eyes narrowed warily as he expected to see their foe pop up at any time. He didn't dare summon his weapon in case there was any fuel left in the tanks. The last thing he wanted was to blow them up. The only illumination he had was the weak light of shrouded stars.

The farther Number VIII went, the greater his anxiety waxed. Sweat slid down his neck, competing with the chill bumps that did not want to leave his skin. His fingers clenched tightly, partly to stop his hands from shaking. Roxas would never forgive him if Xion died on his watch...he would never forgive _himself_ if Xion died on his watch. He had seen far too many loved ones perish at the hands of the Heartless in Radiant Garden. A long time ago, he had unconsciously vowed to never be put through such agony again. The very thought made his stomach twist.

Axel groaned and passed a hand over his face. What was wrong with him? Why was he acting so vulnerable; so _human_? This mission was messing with his mind.

"Ah man..." he grumbled, rubbing his eyes. Even his vision was going fuzzy.

And then he froze. On this dreadful night, clouded vision meant only one thing.

Before he had time to let the horror surface on his face, an ear-shattering scream ripped through the air. Axel was instantly alert. He crouched halfway, arms lifted in a defensive maneuver, head turning in all directions as he prepared for an assault. No attack came.

Perplexed, he frowned. He had never heard such an awful scream before...but he had a hunch as to whom it belonged.

"Xion!"

Not caring if he ran smack into the enemy, Axel took off as fast as his lanky legs would carry him. Dilapidated metal, blackness, and mist flew past him in a blur. His catlike green eyes were fixed straight ahead, practically glowing in the dark. Although he managed to keep it submerged, his inner fire coursed like lava through his veins.

Unbidden, the memories began to flow back to him. Destroyed buildings...screaming victims...burning rubble...snarling creatures...bloody warriors. He had fled past all of that during the invasion. Back then, his mind had reverted to some animalistic ardency to survive. He hadn't even taken much note of the putrid smell of ash and death in the air. The shrieks and pleas of the hopelessly doomed had hardly registered in his brain. Everything had been a numb blur...just as it was now.

It was heart-scarring thing to be brought to such a low state...and this situation had made all of the raw memories come roaring back. Fortunately, Axel did not have a heart. At stitched smile twisted his lips at this realization. Perhaps his void of an existence would come in handy after all.

The scream sounded again, this time louder. He was getting close. He rounded another gigantic container...and was surprised to see a note taped to it. A flicker of almost-rage sprung up within the pyro's core. The creature was mocking them. Bearing his teeth, he tore the paper off of the metal surface.

**"CAN'T RUN,"** it read.

Half-tempted to burn the note, Axel glared down at the crudely-scrawled words. He stuffed it into his pocket.

"The hell we can't..." he snarled and resumed his chase.

He was getting close to the end of the maze. Only about four more rows lay ahead of him. Right as Axel was thinking about turning back, however...sharp pang zinged through his skull. He actually smiled at it.

"Gotcha."

He rounded another tank...and finally found his target.

It stood there, its scarecrow-like, black form and white, smooth profile turned to him. This time, however, it looked slightly different. Protruding from its back were multiple sharp, black tentacles, giving it an almost spider-like appearance. Its arachnid reminiscence was further exemplified by the beautiful fly it had caught in his web.

Two of the slick-looking tentacles on its back were wrapped snare-like around the tiny, doll-like form of Xion. Her body was helpless and limp-looking. For a moment, Axel's throat constricted as his mind attributed her motionlessness to death. Thankfully, rationality soon set in and he recalled that Nobodies vanished when they died.

Lying on the ground a few feet away, her Keyblade was virtually useless since she could not use her arms. All color had drained from her face. Her small form shook violently but was no strong enough to break free. She had her eyes tightly scrunched closed and she struggled to keep her head turned away from her captor.

Unfazed by her resistance, the slender man lifted one of his spindly arms, which seemed to also be tentacles. He placed it on her cheek and forced her head toward him. Xion tried to resist. Her attempts were futile and she whimpered, as if in pain.

Something hot and furious burst within the redhead's form. He tried to rush to her aid, but was hit with the static-like blindness like a cement wall. His hand flew to his eyes and he staggered backward.

"Tch..." he groaned.

Shaking off the fuzziness, Axel glared at the thing. It was lifting its other arm toward Xion's face, probably to try to pry her eyes open.

Fists clenched, Axel cursed. He couldn't throw his weapon lest he cause a gas explosion. There was only one other thing he could think of that would get its attention. He dug his hand into his pocket and wrenched out the note he'd picked up.

"Hey, freakshow!" he shouted, waving the paper madly. "Lookie here!"

The thing's head snapped toward him with unnatural swiftness. Upon seeing its countenance, Axel flinched. No longer was its face a completely smooth mask of whiteness. He could now make out the slightest outline of features...a harsh brow...a sharp nose...and an awful, stitched mouth that stretched unnaturally far on either side of its face. Its tentacles writhed agitatedly.

Although he was still disturbed, Axel couldn't help smirking. He could tell by the thing's sudden twitchiness that he had earned its interest. He spread his arms wide, dangling the paper as if it were bait.

"That's right, I'm touchin' your stuff!" he mocked, grinning Cheshire Catlike. "Whatcha gonna do about it, Egg Head?"

The creature was motionless for several illusionary heartbeats. Then, roughly, it shoved Xion away. With a shout, she tumbled to the ground. She lay there, moaning softly.

Concerned, Axel flicked his eyes toward her. He paid for this distraction a second later. In an instant, the creature was upon him, its onyx tentacles winding around his skinny frame. They were as sharp as they looked...for he could feel them breaking his skin as they squeezed. The pressure was so intense that his ribs and arm bones threatened to snap.

Blinded by static, Axel let out a raspy, strangled breath. He couldn't breathe. The tentacles were preventing his lungs from functioning properly. Although he still could not see, he strove to keep his eyes open. Everything was spinning...whether it was from the monster's odd powers or the lack of oxygen, he was not sure. Either way, darkness was beginning to eat at Axel's vision. His head felt light as a feather. He was going to pass out...

Then, through ringing ears, he heard the clean snick of a blade. The sound pierced through all of the white noise threatening to implode his head. Everything was still for a moment. Then...the crushing pressure was suddenly relieved.

Grunting, Axel crashed to the ground. He landed face-first upon the soft grass and was actually relieved. He coughed and wheezed, twitching slightly as he struggled to replenish his air. His lungs were burning. His bones ached and he could feel the shallow cuts in his biceps were the tentacles had bound him.

Sluggishly, the world around him came back into focus. The earth stopped spinning and the nausea gradually subsided. A petal-soft touch caressed his shoulder. Breathing shakily, he struggled to prop himself up on his elbows.

Crouched next to him, Xion gazed into his face with concern. There was a shallow cut on her face where the creature had touched her. Thankfully, some of the color had returned to her face so that she no longer looked so deathly pale.

Axel looked at her; then at the glistening Keyblade clutched in her hand. His eyes widened.

"Did you kill it?" he asked, getting up onto his knees.

The girl glanced back over her shoulder where the slender man had been standing. There was nothing there anymore save for the paper Axel had dropped.

"I-I don't know," she said, biting her lip. "I attacked it when it grabbed you. It f-froze and then just...vanished." She turned back to him with wide, watery blue eyes. "Is it over, Axel? Is it finally over?"

Number VIII gazed into that innocent, trusting face for a long moment. He wished he could give her a definite answer, but...

"I'm no wiser than you, kiddo..." he said softly, placing his hand atop her head.

Xion's eyes wandered from his face to his upper arms. Her eyes widened when she saw the wounds. Gingerly, she touched the ripped fabric of his coat.

"You're hurt..."

"No worse than you," he replied, carefully brushing his fingers over the gash on her cheek.

Number XIV's sapphire eyes locked with his peridot one's. He could swear that he saw them fill with tears before she unexpectedly flung her arms around his neck. Her body still shook, but it was probably from exhaustion rather than fear.

Voice trembling, Xion whispered into his ear, "You saved me...thank you, Axel."

For once, Axel quickly got over the shock of unanticipated physical contact. The warmness of her form helped chase away the coldness of the slender man's lingering touch and her presence aided in calming his racing mind. Axel closed his eyes. He slid an arm around her back, bringing her closer to him. He pressed his cheek to her temple so that he could whisper back.

"I guess we're even now..."

Xion gave him a quick squeeze before pulling away. Standing up, she made her way over to the note that lay on the ground. She picked it up and regarded it icily.

"What should we do with these stupid notes?"

Grimacing, Axel got to his feet. "As much as I'd love to use 'em as fuel for a bonfire and pig out on smores, we probably need to bring Saix something concrete from this..._unusual _mission," he glared at their surroundings. "Ain't no way in _hell_ I'm coming out to these blasted woods again."

The redhead put his arm around her shoulders and started back toward the town. Xion leaned against him wearily.

"Ok..." she nodded quietly. Then she frowned. "What are smores?"

Axel blinked. He supposed he shouldn't have been surprised. Roxas and Xion were always asking him about fundamental things most people knew by the time they were five. But sometimes, their inquiries caught him hopelessly off-guard.

"You don't...what are...you don't know what smores are?"

Xion's cheeks darkened in a blush. "No..." She stumbled and had to grab onto his arm to keep from falling. She was completely fatigued. After all, she'd been out here longer than he had.

Ignoring her protests, Axel ordered the girl to get onto his back. Gingerly, she wrapped her arms around his neck and he picked her up piggy-back style. She was so light that he could have supported her with one hand.

"Well, I was planning on getting us ice cream for breakfast..." he said, arching his brows wryly at her. "...but your lack-of-smores-experience has me worried."

She pointed out, "You said you have to have a bonfire to make smores. Don't bonfires usually happen when people are camping in the _woods_?"

Grinning, he shrugged. "No biggie. We'll have one in the Grey Room before the Werewolf crawls out of bed."

Xion's form seemed to be growing heavier. She giggled softly, saying, "Saix said he'd...send you to Wonderland for a week...if you set the couches on fire again..." her words were somewhat slurred.

"That was an accident! It only happened 'cuz I didn't have the Human-Nobody-Fire-Hydrant on hand."

Another quiet giggle. "Demyx...won't be happy 'bout you...dragging him out of bed so...early..."

"He'll get over it," Axel smirked. "We need to celebrate our success. Got it memorized, Xi?"

She did not answer. Puzzled, Axel glanced back...and saw that she had fallen asleep with her head on his shoulder. He smiled fondly. Something warm blossomed within his chest.

Turning back toward the thinning forest, Axel looked up at the sky. The first rays of golden sunlight were beginning to brighten the horizon. The cold night was little more than a foul memory...a nightmare banished by the gentle approach of morning. They had defeated the night...as well as the creature that sought to rule it.

Axel's emerald eyes closed. Golden rays danced in his hair, further accentuating its fiery red color. The breeze continued to toy with his tattered clothing, but it was no longer so biting. He didn't know if they had eradicated the being for good, but he had a feeling that it would not be returning any time soon after clashing with the business-end of a Keyblade.

The Flurry of Dancing Flames smiled involuntarily as a certain pride added strength to his tired form. They had done it. They had looked upon the slender man...and they had not been taken.

**The end! I hope you all liked and please review! Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed this story :). Also, Axel's line about "A shiver looking for a spine..." is a famous quote I found by Paul Keating. **

**I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS OR SLENDERMAN**


End file.
